1. Per-recruit analysis and proposed sustainable harvest strategy for rednose labeo <italic>Labeo rosae</italic> and Mosambique tilapia <italic>Oreochromis mossambicus</italic> in Flag Boshielo Dam, Olifants River, South Africa.
- Author
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Marr, SM, Hlungwani, HA, Weyl, OLF, and Sara, JR
- Subjects
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FISHING catch effort , *MOZAMBIQUE tilapia , *GILLNETTING , *FISHING nets , *FISHERIES - Abstract
Inland fisheries development in South Africa has been proposed to improve rural livelihoods and food security. However, inland fisheries are susceptible to collapse through overfishing. Therefore, establishing biological reference points for these fisheries is essential for long-term sustainability. Here, spawner-biomass-per-recruit (SBR) analysis was used to set biological reference points for a gillnet fishery targeting the rednose labeo
Labeo rosae and Mozambique tilapiaOreochromis mossambicus at Flag Boshielo Dam on the Oliphants River in Limpopo Province, South Africa. Both species are currently exploited at the impoundment by subsistence fishers that keep their entire catch. The current yields are estimated at 59 and 172 g yr−1 forL. rosae andO. mossambicus , respectively. The per-recruit analysis showed that age-at-first-capture for both species should be 4 years, at minimum lengths of 280 mm TL and 250 mm TL forL. rosae andO. mossambicus , respectively, with fishers using a minimum mesh size of 100 mm to reduce the risk of stock collapse. To maintain a SBR value greater than 25% of a pristine population, theL. rosae yield could be increased to 98 g yr−1, while theO. mossambicus yield could be increased to 176 g yr−1, following implementation of the recommended mesh size and size limits. A per-recruit analysis forO. mossambicus that includes recruitment variability and error to accurately calculate the biological reference points is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2024
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